"What subtle dart / Had you at first to penetrate my Heart, / Obdure as Steel."
— Coppinger, Matthew (fl. 1682)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for R. Bentley, and M. Magnes [etc.]
Date
1682
Metaphor
"What subtle dart / Had you at first to penetrate my Heart, / Obdure as Steel."
Metaphor in Context
Ah, lovely Fair! can you so cruel be,
To scorn my Vows, yet never pity me?
Can you prove false, who once I did adore?
Pity a Youth that never lov'd before.
How wav'ring like the Wind? What subtle dart
Had you at first to penetrate my Heart,
Obdure as Steel, which ne're no torture found,
Or ever knew for to receive a Wound;
Till in your Eyes, the little twinkling Boy
Taught me at first how to begin to toy?
He taught me Love, whose active Fire first grew,
And more increast, the more I look'd on you:
Yet you more Cruel than the Tygers Rage,
Relying on your Beauty, Wealth and Age,
Disdain what you before did seem to prize,
And blast my Lawrel with your lightning Eyes.
Thus to the World your Cruelty is known,
And after Ages shall repeat my moan.
Perfidious Maid, your hatred makes me bow,
And Curse the rashness of my idle Vow.
And since it is alone for you I dye,
'Twill change your Honour into Infamy.
To scorn my Vows, yet never pity me?
Can you prove false, who once I did adore?
Pity a Youth that never lov'd before.
How wav'ring like the Wind? What subtle dart
Had you at first to penetrate my Heart,
Obdure as Steel, which ne're no torture found,
Or ever knew for to receive a Wound;
Till in your Eyes, the little twinkling Boy
Taught me at first how to begin to toy?
He taught me Love, whose active Fire first grew,
And more increast, the more I look'd on you:
Yet you more Cruel than the Tygers Rage,
Relying on your Beauty, Wealth and Age,
Disdain what you before did seem to prize,
And blast my Lawrel with your lightning Eyes.
Thus to the World your Cruelty is known,
And after Ages shall repeat my moan.
Perfidious Maid, your hatred makes me bow,
And Curse the rashness of my idle Vow.
And since it is alone for you I dye,
'Twill change your Honour into Infamy.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "heart" and "steel" in HDIS (Poetry)
Date of Entry
06/09/2005
Date of Review
02/21/2009
